Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a kite assembly and a method for flying kites from a wind source such as a fan. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and assembly for flying variously sized planar and three-dimensional kites from a stationary, rotated, or oscillating wind source such as a fan, generally indoors. By tethering the kite to a wind source via multiple tethers of appropriate length and tethered in appropriate ways to the kite and the wind source, generally stable, controlled and sustained flight is achieved.
Discussion of Prior Art
Kites have been around for thousands of years and they are a part of many different cultures around the world. Most contemporary kites have been developed with an eye toward outdoor kite flight, which activity is highly dependent upon proper weather conditions. The present invention was conceived to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional outdoor kite, and in this regard is designed to be used in combination with a controllable wind source such as a fan.
In this last regard, it has been noted that fans or comparable wind sources have been used to fly streamers. Streamers, however, are not kites. Streamers have little structural strength or form and they are not flown from the end of a tether or tethers, but are typically attached directly to the fan or similar wind source. While streamers are not kites, it is further noted that kites may be used to fly streamers that are attached to them for both aesthetic and aerodynamic purposes.
Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to aerodynamic wind-animated devices and the like are briefly described herein after.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,471 ('471 Patent), which issued to Friedman, discloses an Aerodynamic Toy. The '471 Patent describes an electric fan which directs air stream at a balloon. The direction of air stream and its velocity can be varied. The balloon carries legs to support it during lift-off and landing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,537 ('537 Patent), which issued to Burke, discloses Induced Air Displacement Control of Flying Objects. The '537 Patent describes an apparatus comprising an object fastened to a tether and of lightweight construction so as to be elevated in response to airflow thereagainst, and air displacement means including a rotary blower and a flow director located for directing blower displaced air to flow toward said object to maintain the object in elevated condition and in a position determined by the length of said tether and the character of the air stream. The tether is of a length to maintain the elevated object in the blower displaced air exteriorly of and remotely from said flow director. The object is attached to only one tether.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,218 ('218 Patent), which issued to Cousens, Jr., discloses a Bike Kite. The '218 Patent describes a ball joint affixed to the harness of a kite and a kite string is tied at its first end to the ball joint. A kite tethering device is affixed to the frame of a bicycle for affixing the second end of the string to the bicycle. The kite tethering device comprises an elastic cord affixed at its first end to the second end of the kite string. The kite is attached to only one tether.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,675 ('675 Patent), which issued to Stoddard, discloses an Air Vent Toy. The '675 Patent describes an inflatable and deflatable air vent toy that remains stationary and does not move from a fixed position with the breeze of an oscillating fan.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,816 ('816 Patent), which issued to Pascual, discloses certain Miniature Kites and Method(s) for Making Them. The '816 Patent shows single line geometric shaped kites using bamboo and tooth pick-like sticks for their frames and they are covered in tissue paper. Pascual indicates that his kites may be tethered to a desk top fan and due to their very low weight they will remain aloft in the slightest breeze. If flown from a fan this single-tether kite would not stay aloft for very long especially if flown from an oscillating fan. Any outside gust or oscillation would unstable this very lightweight kite causing it to fly outside the fan's lifting zone and cease to fly. Flying the Pascual kite assembly from a fan could not have achieved stable and sustainable flight.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,397 ('397 Patent), which issued to Morris, discloses a Tether for Holding Promotional Materials. The '397 Patent describes a device including an aero-resistant shape, such a disc, airplane, kite or figure; and a semi-rigid tether attached to the shape. The aero-resistant construction essentially flies from an air vent of a car from a single semi-rigid pole. In this patent the kite is not truly airborne but is basically supported by the rigid pole.
From a review of the above-referenced patents and other prior art generally known to exist that the prior art does not teach multiply tethered kites whereby the multiple tethers provide the kite with a substantial measure of stability, control and sustainable flight when flown from a stationary or rotating or oscillating fan or comparable wind source. It should be understood that a kite flown by a single tether in front of a fan is very unstable and any outside wind source, or movement of an oscillating fan can easily cause it to become unstable and loose lift as well as causing it to fly out of the lifting zone of the airflow where it can no longer sustain flight.
In other words, the prior art fails to teach kites with multiple tethers that attach the kite to a stationary or rotating or oscillating fan or comparable wind source for generally stable, controlled and sustainable flight. The current method of using multiple tethers helps to stabilize the flight of the kite by using tethers that removably or non-removably attach to multiple places on the kite and to multiple places on the fan or wind source to substantially control the vertical, lateral and longitudinal balance of the aerodynamic forces of lift, drag, gravity, and thrust on the kite enabling generally stable, controlled and sustainable flight. The prior art thus perceives a need for such a method, assembly and device, as described in more detail hereinafter.